Traction-engine.



F. H. &'P. Wl NETT.

TRACTION ENGINE. y APPLIOATION FILEDA SEPT. 2o, '1911.

Patented Mayv 6 ,1913; 4 SHEETS-sum1.

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, E'. H. & F. W. NETT'. 'IRAGTIONENGINE.A APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20.1911.

SH01 12M l Patented May 6,1913.

f'. H. & P. W. NE'IT.- j

TRAGTION ENGINE. aPPL'I'o'ATIoN FILED SEPT. z'o, -1911.

P ameamay 6,1913..

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TRAGTIUN kENGINE.l APPLICATION FLLBD S3131". 2o,v},911,. l 4 I Patented Mayu, 1913.

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. www@ g duce UMTED STATES PATENT carros.

FRED II. NETT AND'FRANK W. NETT,. OFIBIALTO, CALIFORNIA.

TRACTION-ENGINE.

To. a-ZZ Iwit/)m it may concern Be it knownthat we, FRED H. Narr' and FRANK lV. Narr, citizens of the United States, residing at Rialto, in the county of San Bernardino and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Traction-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to traction engines, and the principal object of the invention is to produce a traction engine which shall be especially adapted for work that requires short turning, such as orchard Work, pulling mowing machines, plows and other agricultural implements, pushing headers and the like. g y

A further object of the invention is to proa simple 'and efficient .traction engine supported upon three wheels, all of which are driven.

' A further object of the invention is to simplify and improve the transmission-of A motion from the engine or motorfto the transporting wheels.

`With these and other ends in view which will readily appear as the nature of 'the invention 'is better understood, ther same consists 1n the improved construction and novel. arrangement and combination of partswhich will be hereinafter fully described andparticularlypointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has'been illustrated a simple` and preferred form of the invention, 4it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited,A but that changes, alterations and niodifica-.

tions within the scope of the claims may be resorted to when desired. n

In the drawiiigs,-Figre l is a top plan view showing the frame of a traction engine constructed in accordance with tl'ie invention, and ,illustrating the power transmission mechanism and the 'steering niechanism. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken n the line 3-3 in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a-vertical sectional View taken on the linel 4 4 1n Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a sectional` v1 ew,4

enlarged, taken-on the line 5-5 in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a sectional View, enlarged, taken on the line 6 6 in Fig.' 1'. Fi 7 is a detail plan View of the cone pulley ruling part of the clutch used in connection with the steering mechanism. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the groovedpulley used in connection specification of Letters ratent.

rananuai May 6,1913.'

Application led September 20, 1911. Serial No. 650,328.

with the cone pulley illustrated in 7.

Fig. 9 is an edge view of the grooved pulley 1 illustrated in Fig. 8.

Corresponding parts inthe several figuresare denoted by like characters of reference.

The frame structure ofthe im roved traction engine is preferably made o an le iron, and said frame structure includes si e menibers l, 1, a rear member or cross bar 2, a

circular front track 3 Aand circular rear' tracks 4,. 4, said circular front and rear tracks being securely connected with the side members of the frame structure by means including brackets 5. The frame `structure is suitably braced and reinforced, as best seen in Fig. 1.

A. front wheel 6 and rear wheels 7, A7 are provided to support the frame struct-ure, and as these front and rear wheels are in all essential particulars of identical c'onstruction, the same reference characters will be used to designate the parts associated with said wheels.

For each of the Wheels 6 and 7 7 a c'ircular supporting frame 8 is provided, said supporting frame having oppositel .disposed downwardly extending equipped with bearing boxes 10 wherein the turning of the frames or turn tables 8 andv to prevent them'from binding.

Each of the circular tracks 3 and 4 is prol vided adjacent to its upper edge with antifriction rollers 13- supporting an annular gear ring 14 which is held securely inposition by means of overhanging rollers 15 4supported by means of brackets 16 rising from the respective tracks. Each of the rings 14 is providedwvith two circumferential series of notches 17 and 18 adapted to be engaged by and to coperate with toothed wheels, as will be presently more fullyide-I scribed for the purpose of assistingin transmitting rotary motion to thetransporting wheels.

1t) designates a motor driven shaft which is provided at one end with a pinion 20 meshing with a gear wheel 21 which is suitably supported for rotation adjacent thereto. A transversely arranged shaft- 22 supports a pair of gear wheels each provided in the face thereof with a recess 24. The gear wheels 23 are mounted loosely upon the shaft .22, and the latter supports between said gear wheels a sleeve having terminal friction cones.26 adapted to engage the recesses 24 in the-faces of the proximate gear wheels. The, sleeve slidably mounted upon the shaft with which 'it connected for rotation bymeans Aof a key or spline 2. A shipping lever 28, which may )e fulcrumed in any suitable location., engages the clutch memberA i composed of the sleeve 25 and the friction wheels 23.

cones 26 for the purpose of shifting the latter, so as to engageeither one of the gear' The latter, it will be seen, are

- constantly rotated in opposite'directions by vshatt- 22 will be rotated in the opposite dimeans of the gear wheel 21, and it follows that by placing the friction clutch in engagement with one of the gear wheels 23,.

thev shaft 22 will be rotated in one direction, while by placing the friction clutchin engagement with the other gear wheel 23, the

rection. l

Tho shaft 22 carries a pinion 29 driving a differential gear 30 having associated therewith a bevel gear 31 meshing with a bevel gear 32 upon the rear of a shaft 33 having at its front end a bevel gear 34 meshing with a bevel gear 35 upon a stub shaft`36 which is supported yfor rotation upon the circular traclt 3. 'l`he differential gear 30 thus distributes equal power tothe. shaft 232i and to a second differential gear 37, the stub shafts (1f-which, 38, carry gear wheels 39 meshing with the outer series of notches 18 l in the gear rings 14 supported upon the rear circular tracks 4,'of the frame structure. In like manner, the stub shaft 36 carries a g'ear wheel 40 meshing with the 'outer scriesi'o notches 1S in the gear ring supported upon the front circular track 3.

llach of the turn tables 8 is provided with bearings for a shaft. 41. having at: one end a gear wheel 42 meshing with the inner series of notches 1T in the gear .ringr associated with .the circular track supported l'or such turn member including the sleeve 25. From the shaft 22 motionis transmitted to the differential gear by means including theditt'erential gear 30, whereby equal power is 'distributed to theA differential gear 3 7 and to the shaft The latter transmits rotary' motion to the gear ring 14 associated with the front supporting wheel 6, and the differential gear 37 distributes equal power to the gear rlngs associated with the rear transporting wheels 7, said wheels 6 and 7 being rotated by power transmitted from the gear rings 14 through the gear wheels 42. upon the shafts-41 and the sprocket wheels 43 upon the said shafts, said sprocket wheels being connected with the transporting wheels hy ordinary chain transmission. It is obvious that ordinary gearing` may be substituted for the chain transmission when preferred.

It will be readily seen that by the mechanism described, the several transporting.

wheelswill be rotated in the samev direction, .Y

and thatthe direction of rotation may be very quickly reversed by simplyv shifting the position of the clutch sleeve 25. The

latter may 'be held at a position intermediatev the gear wheels 23,l and the' latter willthus rotate idly upon the shaft. .22. It will, of

' course, be understood that any suitable and well known means may be employed to prevent displacement of the gear wheels 23 longitudinally of the shaft 22. `A suitably supported shaft -1-5 is provided with loose gear wheels 46 meshing with a pinion 47 upon the driven shaft 1.9. 'lhe shaft 45 also' .carries a 'clutch member consisting of a hub 4S having friction cones 4) adapted to engage ecnieal recessesO in the faces of the gear wheels The hub 4S supports a twopart diametrieally divided sleeve 51 having meeting flanges 52 which' are apertured for the passage of connecting bolts 53. 'l'h bolts 53 also servo for the attachment of resilient lasik-shaped pawls 54- which operate through slots in the sleeve 51 to engage notches or re.'- eesses in vthe hub 48. The sleeve 51 is rnfovided with annular end [langes 5G which. are apert u red for' t-hepassage of resilient dogs 5T which are. also mounted upon the bolts'. 5l, said resilient dogs being curved, as shown. so that their free ends will be adapted to engage beneath the pawls 54 for thc purpose o-t' lifting or releasing, the: latter from engageuu-.nt wit-h the notches 55. The curved resilient dogs :'57 projectthrough and beyond the flanges 56` at the two ends of the sleeve 5.1 so as to normally engage the vbases of the friction cones 49, thereby maintaining the isleeve 51 normally about equidistantly betweensaid friction concs' and wit-h thel pa wls 54 in engagen'umt with the notches 55, thereby locking thel clutch member including the hub 48 and the shaft- 45 against accidental rotation. A shipping lever .H58 of Iza ordinary bifurcated type is provided, said shipping lever being provided with terminal lugs 59 engaging between the terminal vflanges 56 of the sleeve 51, and lying in the A upon the'shaft 45 to place one of the friction cones 49 in engagement with one of the gea-r wheels 46. When the sleeve 51 is shifted by the shipping lever, the resilient dogs 57 projecting through the flange at one end of the sleeve will be engaged by the base of'one of the friction cones, thereby pressing such pawl beneath the resilient dog 54 and disengaging the latter from the notch 55 in the clutch member, which latter is thus released and permitted to revolve. It will be understood that the gear wheels 46 are driven in opposite directions by the pinion 47 upon the shaft 19. Hence, it is obvious that the' shaft 45 may be rotated in either direction by causing the slidable clutch' member to' engage one or the other of the gear wheels 46. Any suitable and well known means may be provided to secure the gear wheels 46 against' displacement longitudinally of the shaft 45.

The shaft 45 is provided adjacent to the ends thereof with fixed pulleys 6() of the chain carrying type, said pulleysbeing connected by suitably guided chains 61 with the turn tables carrying the rear transporting wheels 7, said chains 6l being guided in such a manner tliat'by the rotation ofthe shaft 45, the two turn tables will be siinultaneously turned in the same direction so as to maintain the rearsupporting wheels 7 in substantially parallel relation. Slidably eys 6() are chain carrying pu-lleys 62 of larger diameter, and suitably guided chains 63 connect said pulleys with the turn table associated with the front transporting Wheel 6. The pulleys G2 are loosely supported upon the shaft 45, but are provided on their outer faces with clutch members 64 adapted to engage clutch members 65 upon the inner faces of the pulleys 60. The hubs of the pulleys V62, are provided with annular grooves 66 adapted to be engaged by a suitably supported double shippingl leyer 67, whereby the pulleys 62 may be simultaneously moved` longitudinally of the shaft 45 so as to place the clutch members associated with oneor the other of Said pulleys. in engageinentwith the clutch members associated with oneor the other of the pulleys 60, thereby locking one of the pulleys 62 for rotation with the sliaft 45, while the other pulley 62 remains i le.

When it is desired to turn the traction engine or to guide the same either to the right or to the left, the double shipping lever 67 4supported upon the shaft 45 adjacent to the pul is Vfirst actuated to place one of the pulleys 62 in engagement with the adjacent pulley 60. Vhile this is accomplished the shaft 45 remains Stationary. The ship-ping lever 58 is now actuated to move the sleeve 5l and the clutch member including the hub 48 in the proper direction, thereby first releasing the pawls 54 from the notches 55, and next placing one of the friction cones 49 in engagement withv the proper gear wheel 46,

causing motion to be transmitted from such gear wheel to the shaft 45 which, being rotated, will cause the turn tables to be turned lin-tlie proper direction to steer the vehicle as may be desired.

Associated with the cioss bar 2 at the rear end of the framestructure is a vertical shaft 70 having a-n'operting crank 71 and a chain wheel 72, t-lie latter being connected .by a suitably -guided chain 7 3 with slides 74 support-edwin a suitable groove in the rear face of the cross bar 2 and having rings or clevises 7 5 to which a plow or other agricultural machine may be hitched. Suitable means, such as an ordinary lock dog 76 may be provided to engagepthe gear wheel 77 upon the shaft 70 for the purp'ose of securing the latter and .the parts actuated thereby in adjusted position. A link or clevis 80 is also mounted at the front end of the frente for the purpose of coupling the same with machinery or rolling stock that is to be` moved by means of the traction engine..

The main driven shaft 1'9 may, whendesired, be` provided with a ,band wheel 95 for the purpose of enabling motion to be transmitted to stationary machinery.

'From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings hereto annexed, the operation and advantages of this invention will be understood by those skilled in the art to which it appertains. The construction of the improved traction engine is simple and inexpensive. The steering gear is operated by power derived from the nioter by which the machine is propelled. lt will` furthermore, be observed that motion will be constantly transmitted to each of the .supporting wheels without regard to the position occupied by said wheels.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. In a traction engine, a frame having the turn tables, a driven shaft, and means.

for' transmitting motion from the driven shaft to the traction Wheels including gear members supported for rotation upon the turn tables eoncentrieally with the latter, shafts supported for rotation upon the turn tables and having spur wheels meshing with said gear members, and transmission means connecting said shafts with the traction. wheels.

3. In a traction engine, a frame structure including a circular track at the front en d thereof and two circular tracks at the rear .end thereof, turftahles sTlTn-Torted for rotation with reference to said tracks, traction Wheels associated with the turn tables, gear rings supported for rotation upon the turn tables, means for transmitting motion from the gear rings to the traction wheels, a longitudinal shaft. a stub shaft supported for rotation upon the circular track at the front end of the frame and having a pinion meshing with the gear ring on said'track, bevel gearing connecting the stub shaft with the longitudinal shaft, a motor driven shaft, a transverse shaft, means for transmitting motion from the motor driven shaft;` to the transverseashaft'and for reversing such motion, a differential gear having stub shaft's provided with spur wheels engaging the gear rings supported upon the rear circular trunks, means including a second differential gear for transi'nitting motion'from the transverse shaft to the diiferential gear having the stub shafts, and here] gearing transinitting motion from the semmd differential gear to the longitudinal shaft. l

In testimony whereof we alix our signatures in pri-saure of two witnesses.

FRED H. NETT. FRANK W. NETT.

'itnesses:

FRANK T. BATES, RAYMOND E. Honon. 

